Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, September 28, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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quietude
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Coordinating ConjunctionsCoordinating conjunctions are used to join two or more words, phrases, or independent clauses. The two elements being joined must be grammatically equal or similar in both importance and structure. How many coordinating conjunctions are there? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Solar WindA solar wind is a stream of ionized hydrogen, helium, and other heavy ions that radiates outward from the sun and reaches velocities of about 1 million mph (1.6 million km/h) during “quiet” periods. It pushes the gas of comets' tails away from the Sun, and its “gusts” cause geomagnetic disturbances and auroras on Earth. It is believed that the solar wind has stripped away up to 1/3 of Mars' original atmosphere. What protects the Earth's atmosphere? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Paddington Tram Depot Fire (1962)In 1962, the Paddington Tram Depot in Brisbane, Australia, and 65 of its trams were destroyed in one of the largest fires in the city's history. The strain that the destruction put on local transportation resources is generally considered to have brought about the beginning of the end for Brisbane's tram system, which closed in 1969. After the fire, parts were salvaged from the destroyed trams and incorporated into new ones. What mythical creature adorns the trams bearing the salvaged parts? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ed Sullivan (1901)Famed American TV host Ed Sullivan started out as a journalist and gossip columnist but was hired by CBS to host the variety program that eventually became The Ed Sullivan Show because of his talent for discovering interesting performers. The program, featuring diverse entertainment, became a national institution for over 20 years, while Sullivan's terse introductions of guests and distinctive mannerisms made him a popular target for comedians. What acts were banned from Sullivan's show? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A masterpiece is something said once and for all, stated, finished, so that it's there complete in the mind, if only at the back.Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a line in the sand— A figurative boundary that someone or some group refuses to cross or beyond which no further advance or compromise is accepted. (Used especially in the phrase "draw a line in the sand.") More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Czech Statehood Day (St. Wenceslas Day) (2024)Czech Statehood Day marks the assassination of Duke Vaclav Wenceslas of Bohemia by his brother on September 28, c. 929-935. Wenceslas was canonized as a saint due to his martyr's death. Czech Statehood Day is a public holiday celebrated throughout the Czech Republic. Every year, the Czech president awards St. Wenceslas medals to people who contributed to Czech statehood. This ceremony takes place at Prague Castle, where a memorial wreath is placed on the statue of St. Wenceslas. In addition, a pilgrimage takes place at Stara Boleslav, the site of his murder. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: orchestrawind band - A band of wind instruments or a collective term for the wind instruments of an orchestra. More... first chair - The premier musician playing a particular instrument in an orchestra—seated closest to the audience, taking the lead for that instrument's movements, and playing any solos. More... first violin - Leads the orchestra and plays notes in a higher range than second violins; parts for the first violin usually have more of the main tune and are technically more difficult to play. More... orchestra - The earliest senses of orchestra were "the semicircular area for the chorus to dance in an ancient Greek theatre" and the art of dancing itself (from Greek orkheisthai, "to dance"). More... | |